Last updated on October 6th, 2026 at 09:07 pm
Take a verb like inform, add -ation, and you get information. One small pattern turns hundreds of English verbs into nouns.
That is why -tion words are everywhere: at school (education), at work (application) and in the news (nation). This page lists 50 common ones and shows how to spell, say and use them.
- What the ending -tion means and how to pronounce it
- 50 common -tion words, with meanings and examples
- How verbs change into -tion nouns
- When to write -tion and when to write -sion
- Which -tion words are the shortest, and where to find more
What Does -tion Mean?
Quick Navigation
A word that ends in -tion is almost always a noun. It usually names an action, a state or the result of an action. Celebrate is something you do, while a celebration is the event itself.
How to Pronounce -tion
The ending -tion sounds like “shun”: nation, action, station. After the letter s, it sounds like “chun”: question, suggestion.
The stress almost always falls on the syllable just before -tion. Capital letters show the stressed part in this table.
| Word | Sounds like |
|---|---|
| Nation | NAY-shun |
| Education | ej-uh-KAY-shun |
| Information | in-fer-MAY-shun |
| Direction | dih-REK-shun |
| Question | KWES-chun |
50 Common Words Ending With -tion
Everyday -tion Words
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Action | The process of doing something | The city took action to clean the river. |
| Addition | The act of adding something | The addition of new books will make the library better. |
| Application | A formal request for something | He filled out an application for the job. |
| Attention | Focusing on something carefully | Please pay attention to the instructions. |
| Caution | Care taken to avoid danger | Always use caution when you cross the street. |
| Celebration | A happy event or party | We had a big celebration for her birthday. |
| Collection | A group of things gathered together | She has a collection of old coins. |
| Competition | A contest between people or groups | The spelling competition was exciting. |
| Creation | Something new that someone made | The painting was a beautiful creation. |
| Decoration | Something added to make a place look nicer | We hung up balloons as decorations for the party. |
| Definition | The meaning of a word | What is the definition of “success”? |
| Direction | The way to go | Follow the directions on the map. |
| Donation | Money or goods given to help others | She made a donation to the children’s hospital. |
| Education | The process of learning | Education helps you build a better future. |
| Emotion | A strong feeling, like joy or anger | Anger is a powerful emotion. |
| Examination | A formal test or check | I studied hard for my math examination. |
| Explanation | Details that help someone understand | His explanation helped me solve the math problem. |
| Generation | People born around the same time | This generation uses technology every day. |
| Graduation | Finishing school or a course | We had a party after my graduation. |
| Imagination | The ability to create ideas in your mind | She has a wild imagination. |
| Information | Facts or knowledge | The news gave important information. |
| Instruction | A direction that tells you what to do | The teacher gave clear instructions. |
| Invitation | A request to join an event | I got an invitation to her birthday party. |
| Location | A place or position | The library is at a new location. |
| Nation | A country and its people | Japan is an island nation. |
| Operation | A medical procedure, or a planned task | He had an operation on his knee. |
| Presentation | A talk that explains something | He gave a presentation on climate change. |
| Protection | Keeping something safe | Sunscreen gives protection from the sun. |
| Question | Something you ask to get information | I have a question about the homework. |
| Transportation | Ways of moving people or goods | Buses and trains are types of public transportation. |
| Vacation | A break from work or school | We will go on a mountain vacation next summer. |
Academic and Workplace -tion Words
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Abbreviation | A short form of a word or phrase | “Dr.” is an abbreviation for “Doctor.” |
| Admiration | A feeling of respect | She has great admiration for her teacher. |
| Appreciation | Thanks for what someone did | I gave her a gift as a sign of appreciation. |
| Communication | Sharing information or ideas | Good communication is important in teamwork. |
| Completion | The act of finishing something | He got a reward for the completion of the project. |
| Construction | The process of building something | The construction of the new school has begun. |
| Cooperation | Working together toward a goal | Cooperation makes group work easier. |
| Description | An explanation of what something is like | Her description of the scene was very clear. |
| Evaluation | Judging how good something is | The teacher gave an evaluation of our project. |
| Expectation | A belief that something will happen | Her expectation is to win the game. |
| Exploration | Traveling to discover new things | Space exploration has taught us about other planets. |
| Frustration | Feeling upset when something is hard | I felt frustration when I couldn’t solve the problem. |
| Inspection | A close, official check | The building passed its safety inspection. |
| Intention | A plan or aim | It was not my intention to hurt your feelings. |
| Introduction | The first part of something | The book’s introduction explains the main topic. |
| Motivation | The reason you want to do something | Her success came from hard work and motivation. |
| Observation | Watching something carefully | The scientist made an observation about the stars. |
| Organization | A group with a shared purpose | The charity is a helpful organization. |
| Participation | Taking part in something | Her participation in class was excellent. |
How Verbs Turn Into -tion Nouns
Most -tion nouns come from verbs. Once you know the pattern, you can often guess the noun from the verb.
| Verb ending | Noun ending | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Many other verbs | -ation | Inform → information, invite → invitation, explore → exploration |
Check your answer
-tion or -sion?
Both endings make nouns, and both can sound like “shun”, so spelling them is tricky. These patterns help in most cases, but they are not perfect rules.
| If the verb ends in… | The noun usually ends in… | Examples |
|---|
Words like decision and television often end in a softer sound, close to the s in usual. When you hear that sound, the spelling is usually -sion.
The Shortest -tion Words
There are no common five-letter English words that end in -tion. The ending already uses four letters, so the shortest real words have six.
| Length | Examples |
|---|---|
| 6 letters | Action, nation, motion, lotion, notion, option, potion |
| 7 letters | Caution, edition, fiction, section, station, mention, auction |
| 8 letters | Addition, position, question, solution, location, function, reaction |
| 9 letters | Education, attention, direction, operation, condition |
| 11 letters or more | Information, celebration, organization, communication, transportation |
Need a longer list for a word game? Our word finder shows every word that ends with -tion.
Practice: Words Ending With -tion
Part A: Match the Verb to Its -tion Noun
| Verb | -tion noun (mixed up) |
|---|---|
| 1. Educate | A. Creation |
| 2. Invite | B. Communication |
| 3. Protect | C. Invitation |
| 4. Create | D. Protection |
| 5. Communicate | E. Education |
Show answers for Part A
- E, 2. C, 3. D, 4. A, 5. B
Part B: Fill in the Blanks
Use these words: celebration, information, solution, donation, observation.
- The doctor made an __________ after checking the patient.
- We had a big __________ for our school’s anniversary.
- Please give me more __________ about the event.
- She made a generous __________ to the animal shelter.
- I think I found the right __________ to this math problem.
Show answers for Part B
- Observation, 2. Celebration, 3. Information, 4. Donation, 5. Solution
Part C: Where Is the Stress?
Say each word out loud and write the stressed syllable in capitals.
- Invitation
- Competition
- Direction
- Graduation
Show answers for Part C
- In-vi-TA-tion, 2. com-pe-TI-tion, 3. di-REC-tion, 4. grad-u-A-tion
Part D: Write Your Own Sentences
Write one sentence for each word: graduation, instruction, emotion, exploration, application. Then look around your room, a book or your phone, and find five more -tion words. To check your sentences, paste them into our AI Writing Feedback tool.
Key Takeaways
- -tion usually turns a verb into a noun: create → creation.
- Say -tion as “shun” (“chun” after s), and stress the syllable just before it.
- Verbs that end in -ate usually become -ation nouns.
- Words like decision and discussion end in -sion, not -tion.
- The shortest common -tion words have six letters, like action and nation.
Want more word endings? Try our lists of words ending in -ful and words ending in -less.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are 10 words that end with tion?
Action, nation, question, education, information, attention, celebration, direction, invitation and protection are ten common ones. All of them are nouns.
What are 10 words with tion and sion?
With -tion: action, nation, education, attention and invitation. With -sion: decision, television, discussion, permission and explosion. Both endings usually turn a verb into a noun.
Are there any 5-letter words that end with tion?
No common English words do. The ending -tion already has four letters, so the shortest real words have six: action, nation, motion and option.
What are some 12-letter words that end in tion?
Organization, presentation, appreciation, construction, conversation and registration all have 12 letters and end in -tion.
How do you pronounce -tion?
Usually as “shun”, as in nation and action. After s, it sounds like “chun”, as in question. The stress falls on the syllable just before -tion: edu-CA-tion.
Are words ending in -tion always nouns?
Almost always. A few can also be verbs, such as question, mention, station and function: “Don’t question my answer.”
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